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Holiday protesters are missing the big picture – there are ways to make tourism work for everyone

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-canavan-228682">Brendan Canavan</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-nottingham-1192">University of Nottingham</a></em></p> <p>As tourists sip their drinks at sunny pavement cafes this summer, they may feel slight unease that perhaps their presence isn’t entirely welcome. This season has seen a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c0dm9w2ey7po">renewed wave of major protests</a> against tourists for pushing out residents and homogenising culture in popular destinations.</p> <p>Anti-tourist placards and gatherings have appeared in <a href="https://www.portugalresident.com/sintra-residents-finally-say-enough-to-mass-tourism-traffic-chaos/">Portugal</a>, <a href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/greek-city-begs-no-more-095204268.html">Athens</a>, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/22/travel/mass-protest-on-spanish-island-mallorca-calls-for-limits-on-tourism/index.html">Mallorca</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/thousands-protest-spains-canary-islands-over-mass-tourism-2024-04-20/">Tenerife</a>. Tourists have even been sprayed with <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/barcelona-protesters-throw-items-spray-travelers-water-shouting-touris-rcna160883">water pistols</a> by angry inhabitants of Barcelona.</p> <p>Anti-tourism protests are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/aug/10/anti-tourism-marches-spread-across-europe-venice-barcelona">not new</a>, and they do not always share the same <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJTC-09-2022-0211/full/html#sec014">motivations</a>. But one <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJTC-09-2022-0211/full/html#sec014">common grievance</a> is that local economies are not improved by tourism, while the social costs of hosting mount.</p> <p>But are these anti-tourism sentiments justified? Tourism contributes around <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00472875211028322">5% of EU economic activity</a>, supporting jobs and businesses both directly and indirectly. Without tourism many places would be economically poorer. But protesters in <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/your-paradise-our-nightmare-thousands-attend-anti-tourism-protest-in-majorca-13183160">Mallorca</a> have argued that tourists take up space on beaches, put a strain on public services and drive the cost of housing above a level that residents can afford.</p> <p>The economic pros and cons of tourism suggest the protesters have a point. But they are also missing the bigger picture.</p> <p>An estimated <a href="https://studytravel.network/magazine/news/0/30772#:%7E:text=Globally%2C%20there%20were%201.3%20billion,data%20quoted%20in%20the%20report.">1.3 billion</a> international tourist trips took place in 2023. These tourists spent over <a href="https://x.com/UNWTO/status/1796821487971905590">US$1.5 trillion</a> (£1.2 trillion) on their trips. For comparison, that is roughly the size of the Spanish economy. If tourism were a nation, it would be a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)">G20 member</a>.</p> <p>What’s more, because international travellers earn money in their home country and spend it in another, international tourism is counted as an export. In 2022 international tourists spent almost <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/urban-rural-and-regional-development/data/oecd-tourism-statistics/receipts-and-expenditure_c4170878-en?parentId=http%3A%2F%2Finstance.metastore.ingenta.com%2Fcontent%2Fcollection%2F2b45a380-en">€370 billion</a> (£312 billion) in the 27 EU countries, for example. This export income helps to balance the cost of imports and pay for things such as food and fuel not available locally.</p> <p>Nonetheless, there remains a concern that such economic inputs come at too high a cost. In January the then head of Florence’s Galleria dell’Accademia controversially criticised how the city had <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/30/travel/italy-florence-prostitute-tourism-intl-scli/index.html">sold its soul</a> to tourists.</p> <p>But <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/00472875231203395">tourism revenues</a> help provide foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, encourage infrastructure investments and boost tax revenues. In turn these inputs promote economic development and increase welfare, as well as reduce <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ImtQ9YQS7UrYJ_PItcgeFhFUidcxTwkC/view">income inequality</a>.</p> <p>Globally, the tourism industry is a significant source of employment. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, travel and tourism accounted for <a href="https://wttc.org/research/economic-impact">10.5%</a> of all jobs. In some <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/08/destinations-rely-most-on-tourism-travel/">Caribbean islands</a> more than 90% of all jobs are in the tourism sector.</p> <p>Crossover benefits of hosting tourists are felt in other industries too. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/00472875231203395">Food and drink</a> producers sell their products to tourists, for example, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/13/7164">farmers</a> can diversify their incomes by offering tourist experiences such as wine-tasting tours.</p> <p>Tourism generates a large amount of economic activity, therefore. But research shows that the income that remains in a destination is often limited by <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cristina-Joensson/publication/293487803_Economic_leakages_in_tourism/links/56b8f33608ae3b658a88b7a4/Economic-leakages-in-tourism.pdf">leakage rates</a>. There are estimates that for every US$1 million spent by tourists in the Seychelles, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738315000468?casa_token=-hjGHa9NHPMAAAAA:irVmwVrFbZvnTNzDPKcE90_dK4mwuwVBIkO4_nPs34IdGM12w9i4r8GCR_1K_0IIrJznxx2b">less than half</a> of this stays in the local economy. This income can <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2007.00606.x?casa_token=bentpmB1dE8AAAAA%3A72smahI3xNJB2Y7_PDj-lcZG6nmW7fqPgOv59G4Dr-DBfzWfxjtxRU9qytrdpOWmaLom6oe6dM_U0oA">leak out</a> from the destination because of imports such as food and fuel that are not available locally. Leakage also occurs when tourist facilities are foreign owned.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S-p-YGNXEnY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>There are undoubtedly <a href="https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/07/08/fake-signs-and-hunger-strikes-whats-behind-europes-backlash-against-overtourism">downsides</a> to tourism development. The influx of people into popular destinations can add to issues of crowding in public services and shared spaces.</p> <p>Tourism is also often accused of causing urgent economic problems, such as forcing up the cost of housing for locals. But these are often driven by more complex and alternative factors.</p> <p>Research in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0042098020970865">London</a>, a city facing an extreme problem of supply scarcity and growing numbers of <a href="https://theconversation.com/surging-property-prices-when-will-europes-cities-become-affordable-again-230256">“generation rent”</a>, found that Airbnb plays a relatively insignificant part in increasing housing costs. A study in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13683500.2019.1711027?casa_token=YYKyikeJrXYAAAAA:ktQVCuNoseTdiAC89hl98rdclxE7I68CqkYW6xHUFkzH_TLfabdFOuNfKDQiiIzkOdag7cuQTrho">South Carolina</a> in the US meanwhile showed that short-term holiday rentals can boost hospitality micro-entrepreneurs and help residents to maximise the economic potential of their homes by renting out spare rooms.</p> <h2>What can tourists do?</h2> <p>Ultimately, what unites many anti-tourism protesters is a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240522-the-worlds-revolt-against-bad-tourists">demand for respect</a>. Indeed, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10941665.2020.1768129?casa_token=4DR7vsQpGtcAAAAA:0QIzenTi9LAaVNH8w0JkT46D5_okuotUR5C-wP2NyxxT5bC0UiG2gMBfLHt5G3rveVre7gu8kEIB">research</a> has shown that over-tourism is not merely an issue of overcrowding, but a long-term issue resulting from inappropriate treatment of residents in the process of tourism development.</p> <p>Tourists can demonstrate that they respect hosts and help to alleviate anti-tourism feelings by finding ways to ensure their holiday is as economically beneficial to the destination as possible.</p> <ul> <li> <p>Spending money at smaller-scale and locally owned businesses puts more money into the local economy. Large multinationals can out-compete local businesses and worsen <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ImtQ9YQS7UrYJ_PItcgeFhFUidcxTwkC/view">economic inequality</a>. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1354816616654244?casa_token=YQU0aoDhdP8AAAAA:bX_7TEc0S4zhkl2eduKZqitorJKlbRMMSnaJAZJBPCm8bAk-uQMI518KvZX09oI0iLs13NULXYoX">Foreign-owned businesses</a> typically increase leakage rates as they send profits back to their headquarters.</p> </li> <li> <p>Choosing more sustainable operators, services and destinations tends to bring economic positives. In <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1354816616664249?casa_token=vr7pQyvIVAgAAAAA%3ATLHqmXTyGeHpmL8j9K2cNjb4doB4w_0CNH0IspadKHEPSt5PsFLWVngRQsj81tvE3vIJMpPWGm31&journalCode=teua">Mauritius</a>, for instance, the government has invested in sustainable tourism planning, enhancing economic growth and bringing benefits for residents.</p> </li> <li> <p>Visiting places that are less typically touristic spreads economic advantages around. In Scotland, nature tourism supports around <a href="https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/social-and-economic-benefits-nature/tourism">39,000 full-time jobs</a>.</p> </li> </ul> <p>It can be easy to scapegoat tourists and tourism for deeper-seated economic problems. Tourists are a highly visible, and frequently very annoying, presence. But without them destinations would be poorer, while persistent economic problems would likely remain. Challenging governments, policy-makers, corporations or institutions might be a better use of protesters’ energy.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/235614/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-canavan-228682">Brendan Canavan</a>, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-nottingham-1192">University of Nottingham</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/holiday-protesters-are-missing-the-big-picture-there-are-ways-to-make-tourism-work-for-everyone-235614">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Travel Trouble

Long COVID puzzle pieces are falling into place – the picture is unsettling

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ziyad-al-aly-513663">Ziyad Al-Aly</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/washington-university-in-st-louis-732">Washington University in St. Louis</a></em></p> <p>Since 2020, the condition known as long COVID-19 has become a <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/civil-rights-covid19/guidance-long-covid-disability/index.html">widespread disability</a> affecting the health and quality of life of millions of people across the globe and costing economies billions of dollars in <a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-impacts-of-long-covid-across-oecd-countries_8bd08383-en.html">reduced productivity of employees and an overall drop in the work force</a>.</p> <p>The intense scientific effort that long COVID sparked has resulted in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%22long+covid%22+or+%22pasc%22+or+%22post-acute+sequelae+of+covid-19%22+or+%22postacute+sequelae+of+covid-19%22+or+%22post-acute+sequelae+of+SARS-CoV-2%22+or+%22postacute+sequelae+of+SARS-CoV-2%22+or+%22post+covid+condition%22+or+%22post+covid+conditions%22+or+%E2%80%9Cchronic+covid-19%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Cpost+covid-19+condition%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Cpost+covid-19+conditions%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Cpost-covid+condition%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Cpost-covid+conditions%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Clong+covid-19%E2%80%9D+or+%28%22long-term%22+and+%22COVID-19%22%29+or+%28%22longterm%22+and+%22COVID-19%22%29+or+%28%22long-term%22+and+%22SARS-CoV-2%22%29+or+%28%22longterm%22+and+%22SARS-CoV-2%22%29+or+%E2%80%9Cpostcovid+condition%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Cpostcovid+conditions%E2%80%9D+&sort=date">more than 24,000 scientific publications</a>, making it the most researched health condition in any four years of recorded human history.</p> <p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html">Long COVID</a> is a term that describes the <a href="https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/long-covid-post-covid-conditions-pcc">constellation of long-term health effects</a> caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These range from persistent respiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath, to debilitating fatigue or brain fog that limits people’s ability to work, and conditions such as heart failure and diabetes, which are known to last a lifetime.</p> <p>I am a physician scientist, and I have been deeply immersed in studying long COVID since the early days of the pandemic. I have testified before the U.S. Senate as an <a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/baf4e4e7-b423-6bef-7cb4-1b272df66eb8/Al-Aly%20Testimony.pdf">expert witness on long COVID</a>, have <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=DtuRVcUAAAAJ">published extensively on it</a> and was named as one of <a href="https://time.com/6966812/ziyad-al-aly/">Time’s 100 most influential people in health in 2024</a> for my research in this area.</p> <p>Over the first half of 2024, a <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/long-term-health-effects-stemming-from-covid-19-and-implications-for-the-social-security-administration#sl-three-columns-afa91458-20e0-42ab-9bd6-55e3c8262ecc">flurry of reports</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2403211">scientific papers</a> on long COVID added clarity to this complex condition. These include, in particular, insights into how COVID-19 can still wreak havoc in many organs years after the initial viral infection, as well as emerging evidence on viral persistence and immune dysfunction that last for months or years after initial infection.</p> <h2>How long COVID affects the body</h2> <p>A new study that my colleagues and I published in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 17, 2024, shows that the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2403211">risk of long COVID declined</a> over the course of the pandemic. In 2020, when the ancestral strain of SARS-CoV-2 was dominant and vaccines were not available, about 10.4% of adults who got COVID-19 developed long COVID. By early 2022, when the omicron family of variants predominated, that rate declined to 7.7% among unvaccinated adults and 3.5% of vaccinated adults. In other words, unvaccinated people were more than twice as likely to develop long COVID.</p> <p>While researchers like me do not yet have concrete numbers for the current rate in mid-2024 due to the time it takes for long COVID cases to be reflected in the data, the flow of new patients into long COVID clinics has been on par with 2022.</p> <p>We found that the decline was the result of two key drivers: availability of vaccines and changes in the characteristics of the virus – which made the virus less prone to cause severe acute infections and may have reduced its ability to persist in the human body long enough to cause chronic disease.</p> <p>Despite the decline in risk of developing long COVID, even a 3.5% risk is substantial. New and repeat COVID-19 infections translate into millions of new long COVID cases that add to an already staggering number of people suffering from this condition.</p> <p>Estimates for the first year of the pandemic suggests that at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-023-00896-0">least 65 million people</a> globally have had long COVID. Along with a group of other leading scientists, my team will soon publish updated estimates of the global burden of long COVID and its impact on the global economy through 2023.</p> <p>In addition, a major new report by the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine details all the <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27756/long-term-health-effects-of-covid-19-disability-and-function">health effects that constitute long COVID</a>. The report was commissioned by the Social Security Administration to understand the implications of long COVID on its disability benefits.</p> <p>It concludes that long COVID is a complex chronic condition that can result in more than 200 health effects across multiple body systems. These include new onset or worsening:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01689-3">heart disease</a></li> <li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-02001-z">neurologic problems</a> such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/mounting-research-shows-that-covid-19-leaves-its-mark-on-the-brain-including-with-significant-drops-in-iq-scores-224216">cognitive impairment</a>, strokes and <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6004-dysautonomia">dysautonomia</a>. This is a category of disorders that affect the body’s <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23273-autonomic-nervous-system">autonomic nervous system</a> – nerves that regulate most of the body’s vital mechanisms such as blood pressure, heart rate and temperature.</li> <li><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/hcp/clinical-care/treating-the-most-disruptive-symptoms-first-and-preventing-worsening-of-symptoms.html">post-exertional malaise</a>, a state of severe exhaustion that may happen after even minor activity — often leaving the patient unable to function for hours, days or weeks</li> <li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36223-7">gastrointestinal disorders</a></li> <li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1681/ASN.2021060734">kidney disease</a></li> <li>metabolic disorders such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(22)00044-4">diabetes</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(22)00355-2">hyperlipidemia</a>, or a rise in bad cholesterol</li> <li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01724-6">immune dysfunction</a></li> </ul> <p>Long COVID can affect people across the lifespan from children to older adults and across race and ethnicity and baseline health status. Importantly, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adl0867">more than 90% of people with long COVID</a> had mild COVID-19 infections.</p> <p>The National Academies report also concluded that long COVID can result in the inability to return to work or school; poor quality of life; diminished ability to perform activities of daily living; and decreased physical and cognitive function for months or years after the initial infection.</p> <p>The report points out that many health effects of long COVID, such as post-exertional malaise and chronic fatigue, cognitive impairment and autonomic dysfunction, are not currently captured in the <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm">Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments</a>, yet may significantly affect an individual’s ability to participate in work or school.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9kJ5GWb2wzw?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Many people experience long COVID symptoms for years following initial infection.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>A long road ahead</h2> <p>What’s more, health problems resulting from COVID-19 can last years after the initial infection.</p> <p>A large study published in early 2024 showed that even people who had a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02987-8">mild SARS-CoV-2 infection still experienced new health problems</a> related to COVID-19 in the third year after the initial infection.</p> <p>Such findings parallel other research showing that the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(24)00171-3">virus persists</a> in various organ systems for months or years after COVID-19 infection. And research is showing that immune responses to the infection are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.adk3295">still evident two to three years</a> after a mild infection. Together, these studies may explain why a SARS-CoV-2 infection years ago could still cause new health problems long after the initial infection.</p> <p>Important progress is also being made in understanding the pathways by which long COVID wreaks havoc on the body. Two preliminary studies <a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.06.18.24309100">from the U.S.</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.30.596590">the Netherlands</a> show that when researchers transfer auto-antibodies – antibodies generated by a person’s immune system that are directed at their own tissues and organs – from people with long COVID into healthy mice, the animals start to experience long COVID-like symptoms such as muscle weakness and poor balance.</p> <p>These studies suggest that an abnormal immune response thought to be responsible for the generation of these auto-antibodies may underlie long COVID and that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.zbzipqn">removing these auto-antibodies</a> may hold promise as potential treatments.</p> <h2>An ongoing threat</h2> <p>Despite overwhelming evidence of the wide-ranging risks of COVID-19, a great deal of messaging suggests that it is no longer a threat to the public. Although there is no empirical evidence to back this up, this misinformation has permeated the public narrative.</p> <p>The data, however, tells a different story.</p> <p><a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home">COVID-19 infections</a> continue to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm">outnumber flu cases</a> and lead to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/resp-net/dashboard/index.html">more hospitalization</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.7395">death</a> than the flu. COVID-19 also leads to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00684-9">more serious long-term health problems</a>. Trivializing COVID-19 as an inconsequential cold or <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2024/02/covid-anniversary-flu-isolation-cdc/677588/">equating it with the flu</a> does not align with reality.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233759/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ziyad-al-aly-513663">Ziyad Al-Aly</a>, Chief of Research and Development, VA St. Louis Health Care System. Clinical Epidemiologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/washington-university-in-st-louis-732">Washington University in St. Louis</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/long-covid-puzzle-pieces-are-falling-into-place-the-picture-is-unsettling-233759">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

Photos are everywhere. What makes a good one?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/t-j-thomson-503845">T.J. Thomson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p>We upload some <a href="https://theconversation.com/3-2-billion-images-and-720-000-hours-of-video-are-shared-online-daily-can-you-sort-real-from-fake-148630">3 billion images online each day</a>. We make <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1051144X.2023.2281163">most of these photos on smartphones</a> and use these devices to document everything from gym progress and our loved ones to a memorable meal.</p> <p>But what makes a “quality” photo? Many people, even those who make images for work, struggle to answer. They often say something along the lines of “I know it when I see it”. But knowing some dimensions of a quality photograph can help make your images stand out and make you a <a href="https://medialiteracy.org.au/media-literacy-framework/">more literate</a> media maker and consumer.</p> <p>Quality can be relative, but knowing the various dimensions at play can help you draw on those that are most relevant for your particular audience, context and purpose.</p> <p>I identified <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849241253136">six dimensions</a> which will impact the quality of photographs. Here’s what I learnt – and what you can apply to your own photographs.</p> <h2>1. Production and presentation</h2> <p>Think of the factors <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1522637918823261">in front of and behind the lens</a>.</p> <p>If you know you’re being recorded, this can affect your behaviour compared to a candid depiction.</p> <p>You might be more or less comfortable posing for a friend or family member than for a stranger. This comfort, or its lack, can lead to more stiff and awkward poses, or ones that look more natural and confident.</p> <p>Presentation circumstances, like the viewing size and context, also matter.</p> <p>A group shot can make a nice statement piece above a fireplace, but it wouldn’t have the same effect as a profile photo. Be aware of how “busy” your image is, and whether the viewing conditions are well-suited for the nature of your photo.</p> <p>Images with lots of elements, fine textures or other details need to be viewed large to be fully appreciated. Images with fewer, larger and simpler elements can usually be appreciated at smaller sizes.</p> <h2>2. Technical aspects</h2> <p>Technical aspects include proper exposure – meaning the image isn’t too dark or too bright – adequate focus, and appropriate camera settings.</p> <p>Some of these camera settings, like shutter speed, affect whether motion is seen as frozen or blurred.</p> <p>If the image is too blurry, too pixelated, or too light or dark, these technical aspects will negatively impact the photograph’s quality. But some motion blur, as distinct from camera shake, can make more dynamic an otherwise static composition.</p> <h2>3. Who or what is shown</h2> <p>Who or what is shown in the photographs we see is affected, in part, by access and novelty. That’s why we often make more photos during our holidays compared to documenting familiar settings.</p> <p>Some people or locations can be <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1329878X221094374">under-represented</a> and photographing them can lead to more visibility, and, depending on the context, a more empowering framing.</p> <p>Consider in your photography if you’re including people who are typically under-represented, such as older individuals, people of colour, people living with disabilities and queer people. Also consider whether you’re representing them in stereotypical or disempowering ways.</p> <p>As examples, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/22041451.2022.2137237">when photographing older people</a>, consider whether you’re showing them as lonely, isolated, passive, or in need of mobility aids.</p> <h2>4. Composition</h2> <p>Composition includes positioning of elements in the frame, the balance between positive and negative space, and depth, among others.</p> <p>Generally, images that centre the subject of interest aren’t as visually engaging as images that offset the subject of interest. This is what’s known as the <a href="https://www.adobe.com/au/creativecloud/photography/discover/rule-of-thirds.html">rule-of-thirds</a> approach.</p> <p>Likewise, images that have no depth are generally not as interesting as images with a clear foreground, midground and background. “Seeing through things” with your compositions can help increase the visual depth of your photos alongside their visual appeal.</p> <h2>5. The psycho-physiological</h2> <p>The psycho-physiological concerns how the viewer reacts to what is shown.</p> <p>This includes the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-07236-024">biological reaction</a> we have to seeing certain colours, for example the way the colour red can increase our heart rate. It also can include the feeling we have when seeing a photo of someone we know.</p> <p>The most powerful photos use colour and other elements of visual language strategically for a specific effect. Looking at these images might evoke a specific emotion, such as empathy or fear, and influence how the viewer responds.</p> <h2>6. Narrative</h2> <p>Narrative concerns the storytelling quality of the image.</p> <p>Images can show something in a literal way (think a photograph from a real estate listing) or they can tell a bigger story about the content represented or about the human condition (think about some of the iconic photos that emerged during Australia’s <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1329878X211008181">black summer bushfire season</a>).</p> <p>Literal photos help us see what something or someone looks like but they might not have as much of an impact as iconic photos. For example, the well-known photo of three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi’s lifeless body on a beach in Turkey <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN14V2MG/">boosted fundraising for refugees</a> 100-fold.</p> <h2>A more thoughtful process</h2> <p>Next time you pull out your smartphone to make an image, don’t just “<a href="https://www.digitalphotomentor.com/do-you-wait-for-the-decisive-moment-or-do-you-spray-and-pray/">spray and pray</a>”. Try to pre-visualise the story you want to tell and wait for the elements to line up into place.</p> <p>Being aware of aesthetic and ethical considerations alongisde technical ones and emotional resonance can all help engage viewers and lead to more standout imagery.</p> <p>To challenge yourself further, consider taking your phone off full-auto mode and play with camera settings to see how they impact the resulting photos.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/229011/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/t-j-thomson-503845">T.J. Thomson</a>, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/photos-are-everywhere-what-makes-a-good-one-229011">original article</a>.</em></p>

Technology

Halle Berry's priceless response to troll over naked balcony pic

<p>If you’ve got it, flaunt it. And if you’re Halle Berry, do it while sipping wine and basking in the sunshine, rising above a troll or two along the way. </p> <p>And that’s the exact approach the Academy Award winning actress has taken with her latest social media share, to the delight - and amusement - of fans all over. </p> <p>In a picture posted to Halle’s various online accounts, the 56-year-old can be seen standing nude on a balcony with a wine glass in hand, glowing in the light from above. </p> <p>Some strategic limb placement and shadow work keep the snap well within posting guidelines, though that likely wouldn’t have kept the actress from sharing her peaceful moment, with her caption reading “I do what I wanna do.” </p> <p>Comments flooded in for the <em>Catwoman</em> star, and while some were far more appropriate than others, the general consensus was that Halle should absolutely continue to do exactly what she wanted, with the heartfelt support of her fans behind her, and many applauding her bold statement. </p> <p>“Well behaved women never made history,” wrote author and wellness expert Maria Emmerich. </p> <p>“The blueprint,” declared American rapper Saweetie. </p> <p>“YES!!!!” gushed singer Kelly Rowland.</p> <p>“I’m 61. If I looked like her, I would be way worse!” said one fan. “She looks gorgeous.”</p> <p>“I just wanted to see the sunrise but this is 1000% better!” another chimed. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqyh2CYrZq6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqyh2CYrZq6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Halle Berry (@halleberry)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>However, despite the celebration from the majority, there were still those who saw fit to spew their cruelty, with some going so far as to blame Halle’s joy in her body for any hardships in her relationships. Halle silenced them soon enough though, confirming with one fan that it had actually been her own boyfriend - singer Van Hunt - who took the picture. </p> <p>And when someone took issue with Halle daring to bare all in her 50s, the star once again took the high road (to the balcony), drawing attention to the sheer absurdity of the original comment with her unique - and entirely unforgettable - comeback.</p> <p>“Imagine being in your 50s still posting nudes for attention in menopause when you should be chilling with your grandkids,” wrote Halle’s hater, “ageing with dignity is no longer a thing.” </p> <p>And Halle, in a move that gave the ageist comment none of the attention it was craving, merely asked of her followers, “did you guys know the heart of a shrimp is located in its head?” </p> <p>The comment was never going to sit well with the actress, who has been open about her thoughts on ageing in Hollywood - and life in general - in the past, even telling <em>AARP</em> in 2022 that “we’re all going to get older. Our skin is going to shrivel up and we’re going to look different. I see things changing with my face and body, but I’ve never put all my eggs in that basket. I’ve always known that beauty is deeper than the physical body you’re walking around in.”</p> <p>“I refuse to become someone who just tries to hold on to a youthful face and not embrace what’s most important about being beautiful - how you live your life, how you give back to others, how you connect to people, how you strengthen your mind, body, and soul and nourish yourself, how you give in a meaningful way of yourself. The most beautiful people have something radiating inside.</p> <p>“Women are told that when we reach a certain number, we’re no longer valuable. I believe the opposite. Society should look at us as jewels as we get older.</p> <p>“Because the older women get, the more formidable we are.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Beauty & Style

15 facts (and pictures!) that prove penguins are the world’s most adorable animals

<p>Every day is a good day to appreciate these tuxedo-wearing birds.</p> <p><strong>Nearly all penguins live in the southern hemisphere</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/01-can-penguins-Shutterstuck-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>Contrary to media representations of the North Pole, no penguins live up there. The 17 penguin species (some scientists say there are 20) are spread out between Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa. The only exception is the Galapagos penguins, who live close to the equator on the Galapagos Islands and occasionally venture into northern hemisphere waters.</p> <p><strong>Penguins have been around for a long time</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/02-emperor-penguins-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>An amateur fossil hunter discovered the bone of an extinct penguin ancestor, and scientists say it’s 61 million years old. That means it probably outlived the dinosaurs that went extinct 65.5 million years ago. Fossils also suggest that this prehistoric bird could fly and could grow up to 150 centimetres tall.</p> <p><strong>They eat a lot</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/03-penguin-eating-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>Penguins are carnivores, and their diets consist of fish, krill, crabs, squid, and other sea creatures. According to Smithsonian Magazine, they can eat over one kilogram of food every day during summer months, but eat only a third of that during the winter.</p> <p><strong>They sneeze</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/04-sneeze-penguin-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>Their sneezes serve an important purpose, though. Because they eat so much seafood, penguins also consume a lot of saltwater. To get rid of all that salt, their supraorbital glands above their eyes filter it out of the bloodstream, and then, the penguins excrete it through their bills or their sneezes.</p> <p><strong>The littlest penguin may be the cutest</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/05-little-penguin-wildlife-park-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>Little blue penguins (also called fairy penguins) really are little. They only grow to be 33-38 centimetres tall, and adults only weigh one kilogram.</p> <p><strong>Emperor penguins are the largest species</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/06-emperor-penguins-sliding-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>They’re around 120 centimetres feet tall and can weigh up to 40 kilograms.</p> <p><strong>Penguins are expert swimmers</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/07-swimming-penguin-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>No, these adorable birds can’t fly. Instead, they use their wings to fly through the water (so to speak) at speeds up to 40 kilometres per hour.</p> <p><strong>They can’t help but waddle</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/08-gentoo-penguin-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>Penguins’ bodies are shaped to easily glide through water, with a long body and short legs. So when they walk, the result is a clumsy-looking waddle. Penguins also get around on land by hopping and tobogganing, where they glide on their bellies and use their feet and wings to gain speed.</p> <p><strong>They spend most of their time in the water</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/09-gentoo-penguins-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>According to Ocean Conservancy, penguins spend about 75 per cent of their lives in water. They go on land to mate, lay eggs, and raise their babies.</p> <p><strong>Speaking of penguin babies…</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/10-emperor-penguin-chicks-Shuttersetock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>They’re called chicks or nestlings. They form little groups called crèches to look out for predators and keep each other warm while their parents look for food.</p> <p><strong>Penguins are romantic</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/11-shutterstock_516711187-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>Some penguin species mate for life, like the macaroni penguin. These guys and gals show their affection by performing an ‘ecstatic display,’ in which they swing their heads back and forth and cackle loudly.</p> <p><strong>Birds of a feather mate together</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/12-king-penguins-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>Most penguin species breed in large groups called colonies (only two species don’t) for protection. Those groups can range from a couple hundred to hundreds of thousands of penguins!</p> <p><strong>Daddy penguins keep their eggs warm</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/13-dad-penguins-incubate-eggs-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>At least, male emperor penguins do, but not by sitting on them. These dads balance the eggs on their feet and cover them with feathered skin called a brood pouch. They stay like this for two months – without food and with no protection from the Antarctica weather – until the mums come back with food for the young ones. Talk about parents of the year!</p> <p><strong>Their feathers keep them camouflaged</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/14-king-penguins-1-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></strong></p> <p>When penguins swim, their black backs keep them invisible from predators up above, and their white bellies blend into the bright sunlight coming through the waves. We bet your tuxedo can’t do that.</p> <p><strong>Feathers also keep them warm</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/15-imperial-penguins-colony-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /></p> <p>Penguins don’t have blubber like other sea animals, but their many feathers serve the same purpose. (In particular, emperor penguins have 100 feathers per six square centimetres). The feathers trap a layer of warm air next to their skin, and their surface feathers get colder than the surrounding air to keep their bodies warm.</p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-d01c285d-7fff-1863-8624-cd52bd052f15">Written by Claire Nowak. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/animal-kingdom/15-facts-and-pictures-that-prove-penguins-are-the-worlds-most-adorable-animals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></span></em></p> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p>

Family & Pets

Picture-perfect way to remember the Queen

<p dir="ltr">A final tribute to Queen Elizabeth II has been released by the Royal Family depicting the late monarch doing what she loved most.</p> <p dir="ltr">The incredible image, which was taken in Balmoral in 1971, shows the Queen hiking through the heathlands in Scotland that she explored thoroughly over her many decades spent there.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Palace also shared a quote by Shakespeare – the same one uttered by King Charles III when he first addressed the nation following his ascent to the throne</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">‘May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest.’</p> <p>In loving memory of Her Majesty The Queen.</p> <p>1926 - 2022 <a href="https://t.co/byh5uVNDLq">pic.twitter.com/byh5uVNDLq</a></p> <p>— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1571959776095129601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest,” the caption read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In loving memory of Her Majesty The Queen. 1926 - 2022.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Queen Elizabeth II was farewelled on September 19 in front of a crowd of 2,000 people inside Westminster Abbey, while millions of fans also gathered in central London for the state funeral as billions around the world tuned in on TV.</p> <p dir="ltr">After the service, the Queen’s coffin left the Abbey to head off to Windsor where she was privately buried at King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

Caring

"This is NOT what I look like": TV star takes a stand against altered pictures

<p>Bethenny Frankel has taken a stand against "deceptive" photos on social media by posting what she really looks like. </p> <p>The <em>Real Housewives of New York City</em> star, 51, shared two images to her Instagram account: both in a bikini on the beach, but one had been clearly photoshopped to make her look slimmer. </p> <p>She shared the photos as a warning of how dangerous Photoshop can be when dealing with your self-image. </p> <p>In the caption, she wrote, "This is NOT what I look like…and you know that because I’m not vain and show you the real me."</p> <p>“But if I posted a version of this every day you might start to believe that it might be. This is just how distorted this has all gotten.”</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/Frankel.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Bethenny post-Photoshop (left) vs. all natural (right). Image credits: Instagram</em></p> <p>She pointed out that “filtering is lying” and “deceptive,” which causes women to “feel badly about themselves” and “young girls insecure and obsessed with an unattainable perfection”.</p> <p>Frankel continued, “It makes middle aged women and mothers feel insecure about themselves. This creates a false ideal for men.”</p> <p>She went on to call editing “destructive, irresponsible, insecure and inaccurate”, before concluding her inspirational post by reminding her followers that “there is a line between making an effort to look pretty and an outright falsehood”.</p> <p>Frankel has often pointed out the importance of living filter free, as earlier this year she posted an unedited photo of herself lounging by the pool in a tiny bikini telling fans the key to body acceptance is “balance”.</p> <p>She went on to encourage people to embrace their flaws and live for themselves, rather than their social media perception. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p> <div class="media image" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 705.1837768554688px; margin-bottom: 32px;"> </div>

Body

Tips on how to take a great profile picture

<p>It’s not all about looks but a profile picture says a thousand words in the online dating world. It’s what draws someone in to read your profile and who knows what can happen after that. Choosing the perfect pic can be a daunting task – that many people unfortunately get wrong – so we’ve got some top tips to help put your best photo forward and ensure you don’t upload anything cringe-worthy.</p> <p><strong>Lighting</strong></p> <p>Make sure you take your photo in a well-lit area so people can see your face clearly. Nobody looks nice in the shadows – and people will tend to think you’re hiding something if they cannot clearly see you. Try and take the picture outside as natural light is much more flattering than indoor lighting.</p> <p><strong>Right distance</strong></p> <p>You don’t want to be so far away in the photo that people can’t see you clearly – that defeats the purpose of a profile picture.</p> <p><strong>Make eye contact</strong></p> <p>The old saying – the eyes are the window to a person soul – rings true for profile pictures. Eye contact is important for establishing a connection even online. Making eye contact through a picture says that you’re open, welcoming and helps someone engage with your picture.</p> <p><strong>Use a proper camera</strong></p> <p>These days it’s never been easier to take a photo especially with our smartphones and tablets. However, often the quality isn’t the best when you upload it onto a computer. Use a digital camera and take plenty of options. People often despair after a few shots but in our wonderful world of technology, take a few dozen photos until you find the one you like.</p> <p><strong>Dress to impress</strong></p> <p>This doesn’t mean expensive or flashy clothing, simply choose clothes that you are comfortable and feel great in. If you feel good, you will look good in your photos! Steer clear of clothes with big and busy patterns though as they can distract potential dates from the real subject of the photo – you. No hats or sunglasses either.</p> <p><strong>Relax and smile!</strong></p> <p>Feeling comfortable is key to taking a great photo. Get a good friend to take the photo for you and distract yourself by having a conversation. Don’t focus on having the photo taken and you’ll get a relaxed and natural looking picture. However, the most important thing is to smile! Nothing is more attractive than a big warm smile.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Relationships

Which of these pictures is a deepfake? Your brain knows the answer before you do

<p>Deepfakes – AI-generated videos and pictures of people – are becoming more and more realistic. This makes them the perfect weapon for disinformation and fraud.</p> <p>But while you might consciously be tricked by a deepfake, new evidence suggests that your brain knows better. Fake portraits cause different signals to fire on brain scans, according to a paper <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2022.108079" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in <em>Vision Research.</em></p> <p>While you consciously can’t spot the fake (for those playing at home, the face on the right is the phony), your neurons are more reliable.</p> <p>“Your brain sees the difference between the two images. You just can’t see it yet,” says co-author Associate Professor Thomas Carlson, a researcher at the University of Sydney’s School of Psychology.</p> <p>The researchers asked volunteers to view a series of several hundred photos, some of which were real and some of which were fakes generated by a GAN (a Generative Adversarial Network, a common way of making deepfakes).</p> <p>One group of 200 participants was asked to guess which images were real, and which were fake, by pressing a button.</p> <p>A different group of 22 participants didn’t guess, but underwent electroencephalography (EEG) tests while they were viewing the images.</p> <p>The EEGs showed distinct signals when participants were viewing deepfakes, compared to real images.</p> <p>“The brain is responding different than when it sees a real image,” says Carlson.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p197814-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/technology/deepfakes-brain-eegs/#wpcf7-f6-p197814-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <p style="display: none !important;"><span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap referer-page"><input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page spai-bg-prepared" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" aria-invalid="false" /></span></p> <p></form> </div> </div> <p>“It’s sort of difficult to figure out what exactly it’s picking up on, because all you can really see is that it is different – that’s something we’ll have to do more research to figure out.”</p> <p>The EEG scans weren’t foolproof: they could only spot deepfakes 54% of the time. But that’s significantly better than the participants who were guessing consciously. People only found deepfakes 37% of the time – worse than if they’d just flipped a coin.</p> <p>“The fact that the brain can detect deepfakes means current deepfakes are flawed,” says Carlson.</p> <p>“If we can learn how the brain spots deepfakes, we could use this information to create algorithms to flag potential deepfakes on digital platforms like Facebook and Twitter.”</p> <p>It could also be used to prevent fraud and theft.</p> <p>“EEG-enabled helmets could have been helpful in preventing recent bank heist and corporate fraud cases in Dubai and the UK, where scammers used cloned voice technology to steal tens of millions of dollars,” says Carlson.</p> <p>“In these cases, finance personnel thought they heard the voice of a trusted client or associate and were duped into transferring funds.”</p> <p>But this is by no means a guarantee. The researchers point out in their paper that, even while they were doing the research, GANs got more advanced and generated better fake images than the ones they used in their study. It’s possible that, once the algorithms exist, deepfakers will just figure out ways to circumvent them.</p> <p>“That said, the deepfakes are always being generated by a computer that has an ‘idea’ of what a face is,” says Carlson.</p> <p>“As long as it’s generating these things from this ‘idea’, there might be just the slightest thing that’s wrong. It’s a matter of figuring out what’s wrong with it this time.”</p> <p></p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=197814&title=Which+of+these+pictures+is+a+deepfake%3F+Your+brain+knows+the+answer+before+you+do" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/deepfakes-brain-eegs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/ellen-phiddian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ellen Phiddian</a>. Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Moshel et al. 2022, Vision Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2022.108079</em></p> </div>

Technology

Predictions for the Oscars 2022 best picture

<p>There were some extraordinary films released in 2021: Ninja Thyberg’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8550054/">Pleasure</a>, an electric neon romp through the porn world, Ildikó Enyedi’s period epic, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8205028/">The Story of My Wife</a>, Paul Verhoeven’s nun-film, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6823148/">Benedetta</a>.</p> <p>It should come as no surprise that this is not reflected in the Oscar nominees for Best Picture.</p> <h2>Dune: Best Picture?</h2> <p>A pulpy science-fiction narrative, not that far removed from an L. Ron Hubbard work, it seems strange to suggest that <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1160419/">Dune is 2021’s “Best Picture”</a>. It isn’t – but it is my choice for the Oscar, out of a ho-hum bunch of nominees.</p> <p>Denis Villeneuve’s latest film is certainly the most cinematic of the selection, and it works exceptionally well at a formal level. It’s a striking, hypnotic work – and totally coherent (unlike the previous <a href="https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/dune-2021-vs-dune-1984-the-differences/">Lynch/Smithee version!</a>) – a realisation of Herbert’s world both surreal and appropriately full of dread.</p> <p>The whole thing is anchored by the excellent production design of Patrice Vermette: desert planet Arakis seems ominously sparse, its weathered concrete monoliths straight from a deranged modernist’s dream. The sound design is also first rate (as is Hans Zimmer’s score, perfect as usual), and the combination of the surreal images and intense sounds creates a wholly immersive cinematic experience.</p> <p>Villeneuve effectively converts Herbert’s convoluted narrative of the power machinations of the Atreides, Harkonnen, etc. into a staggeringly clear – and relatively short, these days, for this kind of thing – genre film.</p> <p>Angsty heartthrob Timothée Chalamet, as main character Paul Atreides, has neither the presence or chops to carry an epic fantasy film like this, and, thankfully, he doesn’t have to – Josh Brolin and Jason Mamoa are suitably brutal, Oscar Isaac brings an air of stately gravity to the role of Duke Leto Atreides, father of Paul (though they look pretty close in age!), and Rebecca Ferguson, as Lady Jessica Atreides, does the mother-witch thing with a humane and slightly off-kilter bent, reminding one of a more benevolent Lady Macbeth.</p> <p>Villeneuve is a powerhouse director, one of the more interesting working in mainstream film today, and Dune plays well as a trashy fantasy film. That being said, it is only Part I of two, so we’ll see how the second part holds up now most of the compelling characters have been killed.</p> <h2>The Power of the Dog: Worst Picture?</h2> <p>At the opposite end of the list is another genre film, Jane Campion’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10293406/">The Power of the Dog</a>. Made for Netflix, Campion’s Western has received wide acclaim and has been film of the year on multiple lists. It’s hard to see why.</p> <p>Campion has made some good films in the past – <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107822/">The Piano</a> is a deliciously silly bodice ripper in the clothing of a serious film, and deserved its accolades (naked Harvey Keitel alone would warrant the acclaim!). The Power of the Dog, in contrast, is strained and tiresome, a long epic without an interesting story, meaningful panoramic cinematography (though I watched it on a TV screen, maybe it would have appeared spectacular in the cinema) or anything significant and original to say about its topic of interest: the American West and the Western genre.</p> <p>Its one point – revealing the <a href="https://offscreen.com/view/homosexuality_western">homoerotic impulses</a> often underpinning the masculine bravado of Western cowboy narratives – has been made numerous times before, with Westerns, American and otherwise, frequently making a similar statement since at least the 1940s, in films that are more dynamic, look better, and don’t suffer from the air of self-importance surrounding this one.</p> <p>Jesse Plemons is a good actor, but he’s wasted in a fairly thankless part; Kirsten Dunst seems lost, struggling to convince us as a hapless alcoholic woman trapped in a thankless man’s world; and Benedict Cumberbatch, in the lead part, gives a typically commanding but unnuanced performance, playing Phil Burbank with stagy gusto.</p> <p>While Australian Kody Smit-McPhee is fine as Peter Gordon, the point is that all of the characters are caricatures – unoriginal inversions of genre archetypes – and, in a serious film in which not much happens – that is, in a film that is supposed to be buoyed by emotional authenticity and emotional realism – this is fatal.</p> <p>That being said, it will not surprise me if this wins the Oscar for Best Picture.</p> <h2>And… the rest</h2> <p>Campion’s film is the weakest of the nominees; there are some others that are quite good.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/comedies-in-serious-clothing-an-introduction-to-the-films-of-paul-thomas-anderson-174608">Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza</a> is a madcap LA teen romp, a 1970’s picaresque nostalgia film featuring stellar newcomers Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman in the lead roles.</p> <p>It’s long and unwieldy, and would not be to everyone’s taste, but has the advantage of actually capturing an original, albeit fractured and fractious, vision of the world. Unlike some of P.T. Anderson’s other recent films, it is surprisingly good-natured.</p> <p><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7740496/">Nightmare Alley</a>, directed by Guillermo del Toro, also offers solid genre fare. It’s a remake of Edmund Goulding’s (considerably better) <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039661/">film-noir of the same name from 1947</a>, and follows the rise and fall of Stanton Carlisle, a mentalist who begins his trade in the circus before becoming a popular nightclub act. Like most of del Toro’s films, it is dripping in period and genre nostalgia, but this adds to, rather than detracts from, the colour, here.</p> <p><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11286314/">Don’t Look Up</a> is the global warming equivalent of Barry Levinson’s 1990s satire, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120885/">Wag the Dog</a>, and, like Wag the Dog, it is, at times, a little too clever for its own good.</p> <p>It comes across as irritatingly pontificating in places, with Jonah Hill’s characterisation as a Presidential son (a la Trump’s family) heavy-handedly hammering home its point. But – like all of Adam Mackay’s films – it’s well made and funny, a media-literate romp satirising (or maybe just demonstrating) life in the social media age.</p> <p>The rest of the nominees are watchable if unspectacular films, including the Irish nostalgia film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12789558/">Belfast</a>, the coming of age drama <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10366460/">CODA</a>, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9620288/">King Richard </a>a biopic about the struggle of the Williams family to make it in the tennis world, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14039582/">Drive My Car</a> a beautifully shot version of the eponymous Murakami story, and Spielberg’s latest, an un-engaging remake of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3581652/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1">West Side Story</a>.</p> <p>Which movie will win? Dune? The Power of the Dog? King Richard? In any case, I can guarantee it won’t be the best picture of 2021.</p> <p>This article originally appeared on<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-dune-to-the-power-of-the-dog-our-predictions-for-the-oscars-2022-best-picture-179660"> The Conversation</a>.</p>

Diana: The Musical tipped to win "worst picture"

<p>A Broadway musical based on the life of Princess Diana has been slammed by theatre critics, with many expecting it to win "worst picture" at the Razzie Awards. </p> <p><em>Diana: The Musical</em> has been nominated for nine Razzie Awards, which name and shame the biggest film flops of the year, including worst picture, actress and actor. </p> <p>The musical debuted on Broadway in November 2021, after being delayed 18 months due to the pandemic, and a film version is set to be released on Netflix later this year.</p> <p>The Evening Standard, The Times and the Chicago Tribune all gave <em>Diana: The Musical</em> damning one-star reviews, while audiences slammed the songs for being insensitive and cringe-worthy. </p> <p>The show was created by Joe DiPietro and David Bryan (Bon Jovi’s keyboardist), and stars Jeanna de Waal as Princess Diana, Roe Hartrampf as Prince Charles, Judy Kaye as the Queen, and Erin Davie who "turns Camilla Parker Bowles into the Wicked Witch of the West".</p> <p>At one point, Diana sings how she "wishes Charles was Elton John" before adding, "Alright, I'm no intellect/but maybe there's a discotheque/where the prince could hear Prince and we'd all get Funkadellic."</p> <p>Later, she sings to her infant son, "Harry my ginger-haired son / You’ll always be second to none."</p> <p>In a review of the show for <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/10/10/maybe-a-princess-diana-musical-wasnt-such-a-great-idea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vanity Fair</a>, Richard Lawson wrote that the lyrics are not "meant to be silly and campy", despite how they might read on paper. </p> <p>"They are just the stilted, embarrassingly serious ramblings of a show that has no interest in real humanity."</p> <p>Theatre goers have also questioned the accuracy of the musical, with <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-10058105/DAN-WOOTTON-Unless-Harry-resigns-Netflix-Diana-Musical-Prince-Hypocrisy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail's Dan Wootton</a> recalling, "<em>Diana: The Musical</em> is the most offensive and degrading portrayal of the late Princess of Wales in fiction since her death in 1997 – and in terms of accuracy it makes that other historically-derided Netflix series <em>The Crown</em> look like a royal encyclopaedia of truth."</p> <p>The Razzie winners will be announced on March 26th: the day before the 2022 Oscars. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Movies

Noodle the pug to star in his very own picture book

<p><em>Image: NBC</em></p> <p>Noodle the pug will grace the pages of his own picture book this coming winter,</p> <p>Last year, the 13-year-old pug captured hearts last year when his morning ritual with his owner, Jonathan Graziano, went viral on TikTok. Every morning, Graziano gently wakes Noodle up and attempts to lift him to stand up.</p> <p>If Noodle stood on his own, Graziano declared the day a "Bones Day." If Noodle flopped over and refused to leave his bed, it was a "No Bones Day" — a sign to let yourself take a break and stay in.</p> <p>Though some speculated that Noodle's boneless predictions means that the day is doomed, Graziano's interpretation is less dark.</p> <p>"It's a No Bones Day and you know what that means: It means Noodle doesn't have to go on walkies and it means you must be kind to yourself," Graziano said in a bones prediction Monday.</p> <p>Graziano and Noodle will star in a picture book to spread that message.</p> <p> </p>

Books

Why living in an Instagram hotspot isn’t picture perfect

<p><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/alicccce/media" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice Johnston</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a longtime resident of the London neighbourhood of Notting Hill, which is the setting for the Julia Roberts film of the same name, has found its growing popularity as a tourist hotspot comes with highs and lows.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With its pastel-painted row houses, the area has become a popular destination as a background for Instagram pics, and Johnston has seen all kinds of crazy behaviour as visitors snap their photos.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVTfFwCF3mu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVTfFwCF3mu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Callista DeGraw (@callistagoesabroad)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Johnston says there are some good stories, like the day she and a friend were walking his French bulldog. A tourist asked if they could “borrow” the dog for a photo and as a thank you for the snap, Johnston’s friend received five pounds.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, Johnston says other moments were less wholesome.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was once woken up at 6am on Easter Sunday by French teenagers taking pictures outside,” she </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/living-in-instagram-tourist-hotspot-neighbourhood-reality-for-residents/44522c73-395b-4a9f-b9c0-2576b190a9a9" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">says</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“One time I was changing after I got out of the shower and there was an elderly man taking a picture (of my windows) with an iPad.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although her shutters were closed during that incident, she says she was still rattled by the experience.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVdgciYg57-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVdgciYg57-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Rowena Nathan (@rowenanathan_)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the influx of visitors to one pale-pink house near where she lives, Johnston says the nearby residents have given up trying to keep them away. Instead, they’ve installed a donation box asking visitors for a donation to charity in exchange for a photo.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As busy and inconvenient as it can be, Johnston says she tries to be sympathetic to travellers visiting her hometown and recalls how she loved doing the same thing while visiting the Marais in Paris.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I love to travel, so I have to be pretty understanding when people travel to where I live, and I feel lucky that it’s cool enough that people want to come where I live,” she says.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: homesite_estate_agents</span></em></p>

Travel Trouble

Campaigner sparks controversy after blasting picture book

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A British domestic violence campaigner has called out Judith Kerr’s 1968 picture book, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Tiger Who Came to Tea</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, as a reinforcement of problematic ideas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rachel Adamson, the co-director of charity Zero Tolerance, which aims to end men’s violence against women, has claimed the book is an “old fashioned” depiction of women.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We know that gender stereotypes are harmful and they reinforce gender inequality, and that gender inequality is the cause of violence against women and girls,” she told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BBC Radio Scotland</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kerr’s picture book tells the story of a tiger who arrives on a family’s doorstep and, once invited in for tea, proceeds to consume all of their food and drinks.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adamson criticised the “stereotypical” ending to the book, where the dad comes home from work and saves the day by taking his family to a cafe.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The campaigner also questioned why the tiger was not female or gender neutral.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We need to recognise these aren’t just stories… it is reflective of a society that we need to think more closely about,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adamson described Kerr as a “wonderful author”, but was aware that her comments would “make a lot of people unhappy”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite her strong views about the book, Adamson has stressed that she doesn’t want it banned.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, she believes it could be used to “raise a conversation” in nurseries.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Speaking to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Daily Telegraph</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Meghan Gallacher, the Scottish Conservatives spokesperson for children and young people, described Adamson’s language as “completely unhelpful”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“While attitudes change over time, parents will be left bemused at some of these claims by Zero Tolerance,” Gallacher </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9920825/Tiger-Came-Tea-lead-rape-harassment-campaigner-claims.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This sort of language is completely unhelpful as we try to educate children about much-loved publications from days gone by.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There are far better ways for this publicly funded group to go about changing attitudes, rather than simply calling for these books to be banned from nurseries.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kerr, who had fled Nazi Germany when she was just 13, had previously denied claims there was a darker meaning to the story.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The idea came to her while she was a stay-at-home mother of her two small children.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It got really very boring,” she later recalled. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’d go for a walk and have tea, and that was it really. And we wished someone would come. So I thought, why not have a tiger come?”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kerr continued to write and illustrate books from 1968 until she passed away in May of 2019.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Instagram, Rachel Adamson</span></em></p>

Books

Blast from the past! Queen shares never-before-seen pictures

<p>Queen Elizabeth has released a series of rare photographs to mark World Photography Day.</p> <p>The Royal Family shared three images, as they capture "a few moments where the Queen has been pictured behind the lens”.</p> <p>The first photograph shows Her Majesty teaching her two eldest, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, how to use a camera during their annual stay at Balmoral in 1952.</p> <p>The sweet image was followed by another showing the Monarch squinting behind a yellow camera and snapping photos during a visit to the South Sea islands of Tuvalu in 1982.</p> <p>It’s a memory that is sure to have been bittersweet for the Queen as she is sat alongside her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.</p> <p>The third photograph was captured of the Queen during her 1977 Australian tour, posing with the same camera in Lindsay Park Stud.</p> <p>The post follows behind Kate Middleton and her husband Prince William taking to social media to celebrate World Photography Day.</p> <p>The couple recognised a few of Britain's youngest and most hopeful photographers.</p> <p>"Photography has an amazing ability to create a lasting record of what we have all experienced & are experiencing,” the pair wrote in an official statement to Twitter.</p> <p>"That's why this #WorldPhotographyDay we wanted to celebrate the youth of the #HoldStill2020 photography project and share images from the youngest finalists".</p> <p>The #HoldStill2020 project is an initiative made by the couple during lockdown.</p> <p>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge asked the public to take images they believed reflected the pandemic.</p> <p>Over 31,000 entries were submitted to the project by hopeful photographers, with just 100 selected by five judges.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Photography has an amazing ability to create a lasting record of what we have all experienced & are experiencing. <br /><br />That’s why this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldPhotographyDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldPhotographyDay</a> we wanted to celebrate the youth of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HoldStill2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HoldStill2020</a> photography project and share images from the youngest finalists. <a href="https://t.co/MIyBJJqFlr">pic.twitter.com/MIyBJJqFlr</a></p> — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1428308671432470533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>A few images from young finalists were shared on social media: "there is so much talent, creativity, and curiosity displayed in each and every one of these pictures".</p> <p>Duchess Kate released a book of some of the images titled Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020.</p> <p>The royal mother kicked off the book with her own words, writing: "when we look back at the COVID-19 pandemic in decades to come, we will think of the challenges we all faced – the loved ones we lost, the extended isolation from our families and friends and the strain placed on our key workers."</p> <p>"But we will also remember the positives: the incredible acts of kindness, the helpers and heroes who emerged from all walks of life, and how together we adapted to a new normal.</p> <p>"Through Hold Still, I wanted to use the power of photography to create a lasting record of what we were all experiencing – to capture individuals' stories and document significant moments for families and communities as we lived through the pandemic."</p>

Beauty & Style

Terri Irwin shares sweet image for Bindi's birthday

<p><span>Bindi Irwin is 23 and her family is paying tribute in the sweetest way they know how.</span><br /><br /><span>It is The Crikey! It's The Irwins star’s first birthday as a mother to baby Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, who was born in March this year.</span><br /><br /><span>Bindi's mother Terri Irwin was one of the first to wish her daughter a happy birthday on July 24, after taking to Twitter to post a sweet message alongside an image of Bindi, Terri, and the late Steve Irwin.</span><br /><br /><span>"Happy birthday, beautiful Bindi. You have always been our greatest adventure!" the 57-year-old wrote, alongside the beautiful throwback.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Happy birthday, beautiful Bindi. You have always been our greatest adventure! <a href="https://t.co/regYdMy5fr">pic.twitter.com/regYdMy5fr</a></p> — Terri Irwin (@TerriIrwin) <a href="https://twitter.com/TerriIrwin/status/1418685505449857029?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><br /><span>Bindi's husband Chandler Powell, 24, also took to social media to honour his wife.</span><br /><br /><span>Sharing a photo of Bindi holding a smiling Grace as Chandler holds a turtle, he wrote: "Happy birthday to the most amazing woman I know. Wife, mother, and Wildlife Warrior.</span><br /><br /><span>“My favourite thing about you is your kind heart.</span><br /><br /><span>"You dedicate each day to bringing happiness and love to everyone around you. Today it's our turn to celebrate how incredible you are. I love you ❤️"</span><br /><br /><span>Chandler also shared an image of Bindi cradling baby Grace in her arms to his Instagram Story.</span><br /><br /><span>Bindi's 17-year-old brother Robert Irwin shared his own well wishes on Instagram.</span><br /><br /><span>The young Irwin posted a photo of Bindi, Chandler, himself and Grace, who is sporting a very fashionable pair of purple sunnies.</span><br /><br /><span>"Happy birthday @bindisueirwin 😊," Robert's message began.</span><br /><br /><span>"You've always been the best sister, and now it's so cool to see you as such a wonderful mum to little Grace! I'm so proud of you! (Ps. You and Chandler are raising an absolute fashion icon 😂😎)"</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRtWhHkDIC9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRtWhHkDIC9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Robert Irwin (@robertirwinphotography)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>Australia Zoo also shared a heartfelt message for the now 23-year-old ahead of her birthday.</span><br /><br /><span>"Tomorrow is @BindiSueIrwin's first birthday as a mother💕 She has inspired the world with her kindness and passion for making the world a better place," Australia Zoo wrote on Instagram.</span><br /><br /><span>Bindi herself closed out her special day with a post of her own on Instagram.</span><br /><br /><span>"My first birthday as a mama has been the most beautiful gift. Our sweet Grace Warrior's face says it all," Bindi's message read.</span><br /><br /><span>"Today I celebrated by feeding Monty the crocodile and hugging my gorgeous girl (not at the same time!). 💛</span><br /><br /><span>“Thank you for the lovely birthday messages and kind support, it means the world to me."</span></p>

Family & Pets

Adam Goodes to release first picture book

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Former footy player Adam Goodes is set to release his first picture book this year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Titled </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/somebody-s-land-welcome-to-our-country-adam-goodes/book/9781760526726.html?irclickid=2MXT8RXVdxyLRd8ztDxgm11DUkByTbxdtyxlxo0&bk_source=1426251&bk_source_id=1426251&irgwc=1&utm_campaign=Good%20Reading%20Magazine&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=Impact" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Somebody’s Land</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Goodes co-authored the book with journalist and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Speaker of NSW Parliament Ellie Laing, illustrated by Barkinjill artist David Hardy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Goodes said fatherhood inspired his debut book.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I love reading to my daughter Adelaide,” he said. “I hope the series gives readers the opportunity to learn something new and have more conversations because of it. This book is a reflection of me. I’m incredibly hopeful. I choose to be positive, to help us heal as a nation.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first in a five-part book series called </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Welcome to Country</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> published by Allen & Unwin Children’s Books, the picture books aim to educate young readers between four to eight-years-old about </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">terra nullius</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and Indigenous sovereignty.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Somebody’s Land</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> will be available in November 2021, and can now be pre-ordered.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Booktopia / Twitter</span></em></p>

Books

In 20 years of award-winning picture books, non-white people made up just 12% of main characters

<p>A highlight for Australian children’s literature is the announcements of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year award winners. This year’s winners will be announced on Friday October 16 — right before the start of CBCA’s Book Week on October 19.</p> <p>Making the <a href="https://cbca.org.au/shortlist-2020">shortlist</a> brings great exposure for the books and their creators. The shortlisted books are put on special display in public school libraries and supermarket shelves. They are even made into teaching <a href="https://petaa.edu.au/w/Teaching_Resources/CBCA2020/2020_CBCA_Guide.aspx">resources</a>, suggesting an exploration of the book’s themes, for instance.</p> <p>Crucially, award lists contribute to the “canon” of literary works that become widely read. This canon is distributed through libraries, schools and homes. Sometimes, benevolent relatives <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-reasons-i-always-get-children-picture-books-for-christmas-127801">give them as gifts</a>.</p> <p>We investigated the diversity — including ethnicity, gender and sexuality — of the 118 shortlisted books in the early childhood category of Book of the Year between 2001 and 2020. We also examined diversity among the 103 authors and illustrators who have made the shortlist over the past 20 years.</p> <p>Our yet unpublished study found most (88%) human main characters in the shortlisted books were white; none of the main characters were Asian, Black or Middle Eastern.</p> <h2>Why diversity matters</h2> <p>The <a href="https://cbca.org.au/">CBCA</a> was formed in 1945, as a national not-for-profit organisation promoting children’s literary experiences and supporting Australian writers and illustrators. The first awards began in 1946.</p> <p>There were originally three categories for Book of the Year: older readers, younger readers and picture book.</p> <p>In 2001, “early childhood” was added as a category. This was for picture books for children up to six years old.</p> <p>Picture books are significant for not only developing early literacy skills, but also for the messages and values they convey about society. They <a href="https://www.betterreading.com.au/podcast/new-6-part-podcast-series-a-conversation-about-diversity-in-childrens-books/">help children learn about their world</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p>The diversity children see represented in that world <a href="https://theconversation.com/bias-starts-early-most-books-in-childcare-centres-have-white-middle-class-heroes-130208">affects their sense of belonging and inclusion</a>. At this age, cultural values and bias settle in and become the foundation for how we develop. These values and biases have a profound influence on our successes and struggles in our adult lives.</p> <h2>A positive for gender diversity, but not ethnicity</h2> <p>We used visual content analysis to examine ethnic diversity, we well as gender, disability, sexuality and linguistic variation in the 118 early childhood category shortlisted books — between 2001 and 2020.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363296/original/file-20201013-13-1teg5bo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363296/original/file-20201013-13-1teg5bo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="The cover of picture book Go Home Cheeky Animals" /></a> <span class="caption">Illustrator Dion Beasley.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/childrens/picture-books/Go-Home-Cheeky-Animals-Johanna-Bell-illustrated-by-Dion-Beasley-9781760291655" class="source">Allen & Unwin</a></span></p> <p>We also examined diversity among the 103 authors and illustrators who have made the shortlist over the past 20 years. Only one person — Alywarr illustrator Dion Beasley, from the Northern Territory, and winner in 2017 for <a href="https://cbca.org.au/book/go-home-cheeky-animals">Go Home Cheeky Animals</a> — identifies as Indigenous.</p> <p>Female authors and illustrators, however, were more represented (66%) than male (34%).</p> <p>Looking at the picture books, we first identified four major types of characters: human (52.5%), animal (41.5%), object (4.4%) and imaginary (1.4%).</p> <p>We then distinguished between main characters and those in supporting roles that make up the story world in which the main characters act.</p> <p>One of the most encouraging findings was the gender parity among main characters. We identified 52 solo human main characters across all 118 books. Fifty-one of these are children, with 25 boy and 24 girl main characters (two main characters were not identified by gender).</p> <p> </p> <p>This placed boys and girls equally in the role of the protagonist, which stands in contrast to <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-looked-at-100-best-selling-picture-books-female-protagonists-were-largely-invisible-115843">previous research looking at best-selling picture books</a>.</p> <p>But in terms of ethnicity, the human main characters are overwhelmingly white (88%). There are just two Indigenous main characters and one who is multiracial. There have been no Asian, Black or Middle Eastern main characters.</p> <p>Looking at the wider story world, supporting characters are still overwhelmingly white. But this world does marginally include characters of Asian, Black and Middle Eastern heritage. Overall, human characters appear in 85 (72%) of the 118 books.</p> <p>White characters appear in 74 of these books, and only nine books have no white characters. Non-white characters appear in a total of 18 books (21%).</p> <p>Our results for ethnic diversity don’t correlate well with the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/migration-australia/latest-release">latest Australian census data</a> (from 2016). The cultural heritage of Australia’s population is described as: 76.8% white, 10% East and Southeast Asian, 4.6% South Asian, 3.1% West Asian and Arabic, 2.8% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, 1.5% Maori and Pacific Islander, 0.7% African, 0.6% Latin American.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/362846/original/file-20201012-12-21c85x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/362846/original/file-20201012-12-21c85x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">The 2020 Early Childhood Book of the Year shortlist.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://cbca.org.au/shortlist-2020" class="source">CBCA/Screenshot</a></span></p> <p>The CBCA early childhood shortlist minimally represents other forms of diversity. We see only two main characters living with a disability and no characters who are sexually and gender diverse.</p> <h2>Other types of diversity</h2> <p>Linguistic variation is also minimal, in only four books, which does not reflect the linguistic diversity of the wider Australian population.</p> <p>In response to our queries regarding their judging criteria, the CBCA said:</p> <blockquote> <p>we do not select books for entry into our awards. It is the publishers and creators who select the books for entry. Our main criterion is literary merit, we do not actively exclude diversity, themes or genre.</p> </blockquote> <p>Only two of the six 2020 shortlisted books in the early childhood category have human main characters. And these are both white.</p> <p>The age of zero to six years is a crucial stage of development. It is important for young readers to see people and surroundings that are like their own to cultivate a sense of belonging. It is equally important to see a different world they are not familiar with.</p> <p> </p> <p>If award-winning books sit at the top of reading lists, these books also need to embrace and reflect the full and rich diversity that makes up our country.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/147026/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/helen-caple-730360">Helen Caple</a>, Associate Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414">UNSW</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ping-tian-1124969">Ping Tian</a>, Lecturer , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-20-years-of-award-winning-picture-books-non-white-people-made-up-just-12-of-main-characters-147026">original article</a>.</em></p>

Books

A life in pictures: Remembering Prince Philip

<div id="page1" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, has passed away at Windsor Castle, at the age of 99. The news of the death of Queen’s Elizabeth II’s husband has seen a celebration of a most extraordinary life.</p> <p>Born on 10 June 1921, this year would have marked the 100th birthday of Prince Philip. How much do you know about this royal, who spent decades upon decades travelling as an ambassador for the United Kingdom alongside his wife, Queen Elizabeth II?</p> <p>To look at Prince Philip’s photos throughout the years is to understand more about the man who helped keep the British monarchy alive and well, sometimes quietly and other times not so quietly. To mark his passing, check out these images that tell the story of Prince Philip’s life.</p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"><strong>Toddler life </strong></div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"><strong><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840669/prince-philip-life-in-photos-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/256c98fd6aff49388a8f83937cebcb37" /></strong></div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"> <p>He was originally Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, and he was born on the Greek island of Corfu in 1921. The son of Prince Andrew and Princess Alice, he had an unconventional childhood marked with controversy.</p> <p>His family fled Greece when he was a baby, and his mother experienced mental health issues, which led her to become institutionalised (and not of her own choice). Looking at this early Prince Philip photo, taken in 1922 when he was just around just a year old, you’d never guess at commotion surrounding him.</p> <p><strong>Schoolboy days</strong></p> <p><strong><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840668/prince-philip-life-in-photos-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/12c8a122c66c439aac4aa7b5938c18f0" /></strong></p> <div id="primary" class="contentAreaLeft"> <div id="page3" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Despite his tumultuous family life, early Prince Philip photos reveal a child who doesn’t look unlike many of his peers. When he reached school age, the young prince attended the MacJannet American School in Saint-Cloud, France, outside Paris.</p> <p>Here, he engages in a round of archery with some classmates, appearing as though they are pretending to be Robin Hood. Can you spot the Queen’s future husband? Spoiler alert: He’s second from the left. It’s not all that surprising to see Philip engaging in sport at an early age, as he continued to participate in various games throughout his life.</p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"><strong>Stage star </strong></div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"><strong><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840667/prince-philip-life-in-photos-5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a846ad9f7c7540c188278bc23a622adc" /></strong></div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"> <div id="page5" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Who would have thought that Prince Philip was a man of the theatre?</p> <p>Sure, we’ve seen the royal on many an occasion showing an appreciation for the arts, but apparently in his younger years (back in 1935, to be exact), he even took to the stage in a school production of<span> </span><em>Macbeth</em>.</p> <p>Prince Philip would have been around 14 years old when this photo was taken of him wearing his costume and preparing to recite lines written by the Bard. Given the drama that has played out in the royal family over the years, learning the ins and outs of this tragedy may have been good preparation.</p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"><strong>Military time </strong></div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"><strong><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840666/prince-philip-life-in-photos-6.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e2712f1262df4076bc4fdc80e1644f0b" /></strong></div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"> <div id="page7" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>You might be wondering what Prince Philip did for work in between the time he graduated from high school and eventually met his wife, Queen Elizabeth (then a princess). After graduating from Gordonstoun, Philip enlisted as a cadet in the Royal Navy, according to Army Cadet History.</p> <p>After training at RNC Dartmouth, he went on to work as a midshipman on the HMS<span> </span><em>Ramillies</em><span> </span>in 1940. That stint was followed by time aboard the HMS<span> </span><em>Valiant</em>, a battleship stationed in Alexandria. There are many Prince Philip photos of his time with the Royal Navy, but here he is pictured in 1947, giving a salute as Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten. This was just a few months before he and Queen Elizabeth married.</p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"><strong>Royal wedding time - a true partnership </strong></div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"><strong><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840665/prince-philip-life-in-photos-7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/352b0f80b03d4592a2bd2039a39f568c" /></strong></div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"> <p>As you can probably imagine, Elizabeth and Philip had quite an elaborate celebration when they married on November 20, 1947. According to the official royal website, their wedding cake was a 2.7 metres tall, and 2000 guests were invited to the ceremony.</p> <p>The service, performed at Westminster Abbey, aired on BBC Radio with an audience of 200 million people globally. Although their engagement was just four months long, Elizabeth and Philip had known each other for quite some time.</p> <p>They originally met at another royal wedding that took place in 1934, when Philip was a teenager.</p> <div id="primary" class="contentAreaLeft"> <div id="page9" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Ahead of the wedding, Prince Philip was given the title The Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich of Greenwich in the County of London. Try to say that three times fast! His first cousin David Mountbatten served as the best man at the wedding, while Elizabeth had eight bridesmaids.</p> <p>The Duke added a loving touch to the engagement ring he gave to Elizabeth: It used diamonds from a tiara that belonged to his mother, Princess Alice. Needless to say, the platinum and diamond bauble, which was crafted by jeweller Philip Antrobus, is a stunner.</p> <p><strong>A future king is born! </strong></p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="advertisement"> <div data-fuse="21928475029"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840664/prince-philip-life-in-photos-8.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/578cfb5985e241b2b4ec7d6ba574dba0" /></div> </div> </div> <div class="contentAreaRight vc_hidden-xs"> <div class="advertisement"> <p>Before Elizabeth became Queen, she and Prince Philip welcomed their first child into the world. Prince Charles was born on November 14, 1948, almost a year to the date of his parents’ first wedding anniversary.</p> <p>He was actually born at Buckingham Palace and weighed 7 pounds and 6 ounces (3.34 kilograms) at birth. He was later christened at the Palace on December 15 of the same year. T</p> <p>here are rumours that have long swirled about tension between Prince Philip and Prince Charles, most notably around the Duke of Edinburgh’s decision to send Charles to his<span> </span><em>alma mater</em>, Gordonstoun School, which Charles described as “hell on earth,” according to<span> </span><em>Express</em>.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page8" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide">Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth would go on to have three more children after Charles, including Princess Anne in 1950, Prince Andrew in 1960 and then Prince Edward in 1964. </div> <div class="slide listicle-slide"></div> <div class="slide listicle-slide"><strong>Family reunion </strong></div> <div class="slide listicle-slide"><strong><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840663/prince-philip-life-in-photos-9.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3d92d76a262f4d868a03c6968f82669f" /></strong></div> <div class="slide listicle-slide"> <p>It’s fair to say that Prince Philip didn’t spend a lot of time with his mother, Princess Alice of Greece, while growing up as she reportedly battled mental health issues during his teen years.</p> <p>However, he is pictured with her here at the wedding of Princess Margeritha of Baden and Prince Tomislavof of Yugoslavia in 1957. According to CNN, Princess Alice became the founder of the Christian Sisterhood of Martha and Mary, an order of nuns, in 1949.</p> <p>Their primary goal was to care for the sick. Her nickname for Prince Philip? Bubbikins.</p> <p><strong>A life at home </strong></p> <p><strong><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840662/prince-philip-life-in-photos-10.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f791636f0a764f1eb95fbe616f66859d" /></strong></p> <p>In terms of Prince Philip photos, we have to admit the best ones are those that seemingly depict him and his famous family in candid, casual moments.</p> <p>It’s naive to think that these photos weren’t staged, at least in some respect, but as Philip and Elizabeth look on at Balmoral Estate while a young Charles and Anne play on a makeshift teeter-totter (simply a piece of plywood atop a log), they almost look “normal.” The castle, one of the family’s many lavish residences, is situated in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page6" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"><strong>Artistic endeavours </strong></div> <div class="slide listicle-slide"><strong><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840661/prince-philip-life-in-photos-11.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f896f4e443f146c8950422cdda1d45b5" /></strong></div> <div class="slide listicle-slide"> <p>For an entire year in 1969, Philip and Elizabeth’s family was filmed for a BBC documentary appropriately titled<span> </span><em>Royal Family</em>. It was broadcast on both BBC One and ITV, and while the still photos, like this one of Prince Philip painting, are all kinds of fascinating, the doc was widely panned by audiences and critics alike.</p> <p>According to History.com, the film was produced in an effort to make the Queen appear more, but it backfired. Still, we wouldn’t mind watching the documentary today with a modern-day perspective.</p> <p><strong>Charles and Diana's wedding </strong></p> <p><strong><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840660/prince-philip-life-in-photos-12.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a7c976b1b854465eaf98300c872ea711" /></strong></p> <p>It was 1981 when the world couldn’t get enough of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s seemingly fairy-tale wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral.</p> <p>For the big day, Prince Philip rode to the ceremony alongside Diana’s mother, Mrs Shand Kydd. Though Charles and Diana’s marriage ended in divorce, letters released by<span> </span><em>The Telegraph</em><span> </span>between Prince Philip and his former daughter-in-law appear to prove they remained good friends despite no longer being family. In one letter, Philip wrote, “I will always do my utmost to help you and Charles to the best of my ability.”</p> <p><strong>Portrait of a Prince</strong></p> <p><strong><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840659/prince-philip-life-in-photos-13.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a2aebd143ca94947a90e3c08fb645bc7" /></strong></p> <div id="page7" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>In 2017, Prince Philip announced that he was taking a step back from public life as a royal. The same year, this stunning painting of him standing in the halls of Buckingham Palace was released.</p> <p>According to Sky News, the Duke of Edinburgh had carried out 22,191 single engagements since his wife’s coronation in 1952. That doesn’t include the countless events he performed alongside Queen Elizabeth.</p> <p>The fact that he acknowledged this was the right move for him, personally, makes a huge statement to his desire to maintain his health as best he possibly can.</p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos">The Queen lost her husband, the father of her children, and her lifelong best friend after nearly 73 years of marriage on April 9, 2021. In a personal statement from 1997 that was posted on Instagram to honour the couple, it read: “𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴, 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺, 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮, 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸.”</div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos"></div> </div> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNevnXFnaoR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNevnXFnaoR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="slide listicle-slide"></div> <div class="slide listicle-slide"><em>Written by Kelly Bryant. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/true-stories-lifestyle/history/prince-philips-life-in-50-photos?pages=1" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our <a rel="noopener" href="https://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN93V" target="_blank">best subscription offer.</a></em></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p> <p><em>Photo: Getty Images</em></p> </div> </div>

Art

Princess Eugenie marks first Mother’s Day with new baby pic

<p>Princess Eugenie proudly celebrated her first Mother's Day with her baby son on Sunday.</p> <p>The 30-year-old shared a new photograph of baby August on Instagram to mark the special occasion.</p> <p>The photo showed August lying on his back in the garden, surrounded by daffodils.</p> <p>He was wearing whale-print leggings from Kent-based business The English Beagle, a white knitted jumper and a matching hat.</p> <p>The look was finished off with adorable white fluffy bunny shoes from Doudou et Compagnie.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMZ-DkcFFMf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMZ-DkcFFMf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Princess Eugenie (@princesseugenie)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Eugenie captioned the post: "I'm so excited to be August's mum and as you can see I'm enjoying my first Mother’s Day. ⁣</p> <p>"I'm also celebrating my beautiful Mumma with this picture of us from March 1990. You’ve taught me so much. ⁣Happy Mother’s Day to all."</p> <p>The second photo showed Sarah Ferguson holding baby Eugenie, who was wrapped in a white blanket as she slept soundly.</p> <p>August Philip Hawke Brooksbank was born on February 9 at the Portland Hospital in London.</p>

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Princess Eugenie marks first Mother’s Day with new baby pic